Description

When can a debt collector report my debt to a credit reporting company?

The CFPB’s debt collection rule requires debt collectors to take certain steps before reporting a debt to a credit reporting company. Once the debt collector has followed the rules about how to contact you, then they can report your debt to a credit reporting company, provided they follow other laws about credit reporting.

The CFPB’s Debt Collection Rule clarifying certain provisions of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) became effective on November 30, 2021.

Learn more about the Debt Collection Rule and your debt collection rights.
Before a debt collector can report your debt to a credit reporting company, the debt collector must do any one of the following:

Speak with you in person about the debt,
Speak with you by telephone about the debt,
Mail you a letter about the debt and wait a reasonable amount of time (generally 14 days) for a notice that the letter wasn’t delivered, or
Send you an electronic communication about the debt and wait a reasonable amount of time (generally 14 days) for a notice that the message wasn’t delivered.
If a debt collector sends you a validation notice about a debt, it means they have satisfied their requirement to contact you and, in general, can begin to report the debt to credit reporting companies.

Whether or not you have a debt in collection, it’s important to frequently check your credit reports for accuracy. If you think a debt collector has improperly reported a debt to a credit reporting company without meeting their obligations under the FDCPA, you can submit a complaint with the CFPB online or by calling (855) 411-CFPB (2372).

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